Global Impacts on Singapore's Tourism: Challenges, Tech, and Growth

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the tourism industry in Singapore, examining its significance and growth. It delves into the various business challenges faced, such as competition from other destinations, taxation, underdeveloped infrastructure, and security concerns, including safety and health issues. The essay further explores the environmental issues impacting the industry, including water and air pollution, climate change, and waste management. It also discusses the positive impacts of globalization on tourism, including increased awareness and ease of travel. The essay highlights the social and cultural factors driving growth in new markets and the impact of new technology on the industry's operating environment. The paper emphasizes the need for strategic approaches to mitigate environmental issues, leverage globalization, and embrace technological advancements to ensure sustainable growth and competitiveness in the global tourism market. The study suggests that the tourism industry needs to be developed, expanded, and improved continuously to attract more tourists.

Global issues in tourism

Global issues in tourism
The main motive of this essay is to discuss about the significance and role of tourism industry in
Singapore. Singapore has been growing constantly for the last few years and it is further well
known for business traveling. The paper further outlines that how tourism industry is facing
ample of business challenges in the country while operating business functions and activities.
The environment and technology also may impact on the long term mission and objectives of the
industry. The environmental issues and impacts of new technology also have been explained in
the task. A brief information about the globalization, leadership styles and management also
have been presented in the task. The paper discusses that how social changes and corporate
social responsibility provide several benefits to tourism industry. At the end some
recommendations have been to grow and explore the business of industry globally.
Business challenges: It is noted by Swarbrooke and Horner (2012) Singapore government
attaches higher importance to the development and expansion of tourism because the tourism
industry as unlimited resources. The country set up a tourism promotion board to encourage and
lead the expansion of tourism in the country. It is studied that tourism has become a primary
engine economic growth in Singapore. To expand Singapore’s tourism industry, the country has
to spend amount in capabilities, deepen its engagement with locals and refresh its attraction. It is
studied that tourism industry in Singapore faces competition from other destination like
Thailand, Malaysia and Australia that have relatively weaker currencies. Along with this, various
other business challenges are being faced by tourism industry in the country. Tourism is one of
the biggest taxed sectors. It is a major business challenge in the country that may impact on the
profitability and efficiency of the industry (Ritchie and Hudson, 2009).
Apart from this, travel marketing may sometimes be deemed by travelers as being exaggerated,
insufficient and false. The tourism infrastructure in Singapore is underdeveloped and outdated. It
is investigated that tourism industry is highly dependent on the cost of fuel. The current rise in
the price of gas and fuel like gasoline has a major impact on the entire industry. Security is a
primary concern to the tourism industry (Morrison, 2013). The visitor security and safety has
become a primary challenge that need to be resolved and controlled. In addition, the tourism
industry in Singapore may entertain great economic losses in near future. Safety plays a major
role in tourism industry in the country. Safety is another biggest issue entertaining the tourism
industry. As the baby boomers are increasing day by day, therefore many of its members are
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Global issues in tourism
denying to slow down. Safety and health issues like pandemics that can easily cause tourism
panics. Water quality has become another major tourism issue in Singapore that affects the
progress and efficiency of the tourism industry. Apart from this, political condition is other
ongoing issue for the tourism industry. The industry needs to deal and handle confusing political
reality and issues. Travel stress also indicates poor travel consequences or conditions. Many part
of the tourism industry also suffer from either weak customer service or limited personnel. All
these business challenges reduce profitability and outputs of the industry. The tourism industry
needs to look after over these issues or challenges to attract and retain more travelers or visitors
in the country (Babu et al, 2008).
Environmental issues and its impacts: Environmental issues like water pollution and poor air
quality are biggest environmental issues that can impact on the tourism industry to a large extent.
In addition, environmental issues in Singapore include deforestation, air and water pollution.
Water is one of the biggest and vital natural resources. The tourism industry commonly overuses
water resources for personal use, swimming pool, hotels and golf courses of water by tourists.
This may result in water scarcity and degradation of water supplies. Water shortage is one of the
ongoing issues in tourist industry. A literature is given by Mowforth and Munt (2015), tourism
may also create higher pressure on local resources such as food, energy and other raw materials
that can already be in short supply. Air pollution is also undergone in Singapore tourism
industry. Transport emissions and emissions from energy production and use are interconnected
to global warming, acid rain and photochemical pollution. Air and water pollution put direct
impact on the global level, particularly related to carbon dioxide and various emissions related to
transportation energy use. The pollution has impacted on the tourist activities. Climate change is
also a major issue that may impact on the returns and targets of tourism industry. Pollution in the
tourism industry comes in multiple forms such as solid wastage, litter, emissions, noise,
chemicals and light pollution (Baum, 2016).
The tourism industry further has many physical impacts on the environment. Ecosystems like
rain forests, wetlands, sea grass beds, coral reefs and alpine regions are generally threatened
because they are unique and attractive places for tourists and developers. In addition, disturbance
of natural habitats also put direct impact on the sustainability of tourism industry. Wasting of
water resources is other challenge for the industry that need to prevented while operating
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Global issues in tourism
business activities. It is noted that there is a high chance of air pollution from the land transport
and carbon emissions. Improper and inadequate disposal of waste is further a form of pollution,
especially in places with high and effective volume of tourists that is affecting the progress of the
industry ( Noble and Press, 2011). Aside this, major environmental issues in the country include
limited water resources, industrial pollution and seasonal smoke that influence the environment
of the country. Water is polluted in the country by unwanted and ineffective materials
contributed by industrial facilities. All these environment issues hamper the brand image and
financial position of tourism industry. The tourism industry needs to make unique and dynamic
strategies and policies to reduce and prevent the environmental issues and challenges
(Greentumble, 2016). A marketing research must be done by the industry to overcome all these
issues and obstacles.
Globalization and its impacts: It is worth noted by Mignolo and Escobar (2013), globalization
is becoming very crucial for economic prosperity and growth in Singapore. It may be referred to
the free movement of services, goods and capital around boarders. Singapore also uses aspect of
globalization which boosts and improves communication, trade and economy. It also affects
positively the tourism industry in the country. With globalization, the visitors are able to move
from one location to another effectively and quickly, through the use of flights etc. This further
permits people to travel constantly to Singapore, from other places as far as United States and
Africa. With globalization supporting the country’s economy to become wealthier, this is turn
will affect the visitors positively, permitting them to have a better and dynamic standard of
living. Globalization further helps in overcoming the barriers of frustration, fear and expense.
Security and safety is becoming more significant and effective as countries move to protect their
citizens. Globalization helps in increasing awareness among the people in Singapore. The
influence of globalization on tourism industry is a higher and unique awareness of destination
and the wide range of leisure activities, values, cultures and sites to visit across the globe
(Morgan, Pritchard and Pride, 2011).
Creating knowledge and experience of a destination is apparently a key step in marketing a
destination and this is attained by way of travel shows, blogs and movies and various other forms
of communication. Globalization has made the tourism industry much more attractive and unique
due to its multicultural nature (Richards, 2011). Apart from this, globalization permits the
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Global issues in tourism
stakeholder to use personnel from various countries. Tourism is dynamic and unique industry
which has seen an immense transformation due to the globalized world. People have begun to
indicate the world due to the free accessibility rendered by the nations to encourage the tourism.
With globalization, the internet, smaller cost of air travel and fast communication are becoming
more significant and unique every day. It is investigated that globalization has maximized
interdependence of nations, economies and people. The procedure of globalization has
influenced the functioning and creation of the global tourism market which expects competition
on regular basis regardless of the country of origin. It is further noted that globalization helps the
Singapore to attain actual economic growth by maximizing the international trade
(Asianentrepreneur, 2018). It also helps in improving interaction and collaboration between
people. Singapore uses this aspect to help explore and advance their trade market and economies.
Globalization also increases profitability, returns and revenue in the competitive market. In this
way, globalization plays a major role in Singaporean tourism industry( Pocock and Phua, 2011).
Identification of both the factors that have driven growth in new markets: It is studied by
Ashrafi et al (2013), Singapore tourism industry is strengthening by the various innovative
events and infrastructure events. There are two factors that help in driving growth and success of
tourism industry in Singapore which include social and cultural factors. Encouraging and
boosting cultural relations and international cooperation help the industry to attract and retain the
maximum tourists in the country. Through social and cultural factors, the industry is able to
communicate and cooperate with different types of tourists in Singapore. The innovative culture
of Singapore also helps in reducing adverse or negative perception of people. The cultural and
social factors identify the impact which it creates in terms of improvements in infrastructure,
social changes in the standard of people, and lifestyle changes etc. Singapore is preserving the
culture and heritage to attract wide range of tourists. The social and cultural factors help in
understanding the choices, needs and demands of tourists in the country. Therefore, these factors
drive success and progress of tourism industry in the country. The cultural factors include arts,
customs, architecture, and rituals of a people. These components put direct impact on the growth
rate of tourism industry. The social and cultural elements also influence views, values, humor,
loyalties, fears, worries and hopes of people while visiting in the destination. It further helps to
have some understanding and knowledge of the culture, and values of the country. The
Singaporean government is making unique policies and strategies to attract more and more
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Global issues in tourism
tourists towards the country. It also focuses on the environmental and globalization issues to
improve and enhance the life of tourists (Hopkins et al, 2010).
The impact of new technology on the business operating environment: Technology plays a
major role in attaining economic growth by attracting maximum people in Singapore. The
progress and evolvement of information technology has thus had a several impact on tourism.
Technology is a component that impacts on how a tourism industry is managed and operated.
The tourism industry is developing and using new and advanced technology to flourish the
business internationally (Mason, 2015). Improvement and advancement in technology
maximized and enhanced modern internet permitted tourist easy and quick access to ample of
information such as lodging, travel destination and dining options at the location. The impact of
new technology in the tourism industry is high and immense as more and more visitors can
compare and seek for all kind of information and facts available on the internet about potential
and attractive destination. The new and advanced technology has changed the way of tourism in
the country. Internet, marketing, mobile communication and computer systems are being used by
the tourism industry to interact and communicate with people in the new market. It is examined
that tourism industry is explained as the sectored system of production and creativity. Thus,
innovative and advanced technology is needed to conduct business smoothly and effectively. The
use of advanced and innovative technology in tourism industry has helped speed up activities,
operations and traveling process much more effective and dynamic. New technology also helps
in building dynamic image in the minds of travelers in new destination as it also increases
efficiency and effectiveness of the workers (Murphy, 2013).
New styles of leadership and management within a changing business: Leadership and
management are playing significant role in tourism industry. Without effective leadership and
management, the industry is unable to attract and retain majority of visitors in the country. The
significance of the leadership qualities of leaders and managers in the tourism industry cannot be
ignored. The importance of management and leadership qualities of leaders in the tourism
industry to bring about mutual respect and loyalty in the work environment is vital and unique
(Swarbrooke and Page, 2012). Customer relationship is one of the biggest manger
responsibilities that can be achieved by using of dynamic leadership styles and management. It is
studied that democratic leadership style needs to be used to address traveler’s complaints fairly
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Global issues in tourism
and effectively (Kang, Lee and Huh, 2010). Business sense is one of the unique abilities of
leaders that help in understanding the business end of the tourism industry. By using democratic
leadership style, the leaders can make unique decisions with the help of workers.
Transformational leadership style can also be used to motivate the workers towards the
attainment of objectives and goals. On the other hand, strong and unique management is essential
to promote the development and expansion of the tourism industry in Singapore. Tourism
management further focuses on the culture, values, needs, demands, expectations and
competencies of the workers and travelers as well (Noble and Press, 2011).
Social change and corporate social responsibility: It has been found by Levy and Park (2011)
tourism might have ample of effects on the cultural and social attributes of life in a specific
region highly depending on the strengths of the country. The effects could be favorable and
negative as well. Tourism as a social force is influencing the life of travelers and many are
interconnected with the industry directly. The tourism industry is affecting the life of people in a
big way where the connections and the interactions are undergone because of the social changes
happening in the community. The social changes in tourism industry brings ample of economic
expansion and development. The social changes also increases and enhances learning and
experience. On the other hand, CSR is a accountability towards of the community by ensuring
active and unique rules and compliance with the globalized norms and ethical standards. CSR
promotes positive import on the stakeholders such as employees, government, banking, creditors,
society, investors and financial institutions. The major need of initiating the CSR in tourism
industry is due to various reasons including fair and flexible policy for the consumers, ethical
business practices, protecting rights of the stakeholders, respect the community and customers
and formulating new policies of trade unions. In this way, social changes and CSR practices play
a major role in gaining competitive benefits in Singapore (Theobald, 2012).
It is concluded from the above limelight event that tourism is one of the leading and growing
industry in Singapore that is providing plenty of benefits to tourists in the country. It is analyzed
from the above discussion that several factors such as environmental, social, cultural and
technological may impact on the targets and revenue of tourism industry. The industry needs to
use advanced and innovative technology to survive and grow business in Singapore. It will help
the tourism industry to build a dynamic and strong brand image in the global market.
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Global issues in tourism
It is recommended that tourism industry should appoint skilled and trained manpower to fulfill
the needs and demands of both the foreign and domestic tourists. More facilities shall be
provided at the airports to meet the needs and demands of the tourists visiting the state. Along
with this, the government of Singapore must take essential steps to interconnect the major
destinations in the state. The shopping facilities in the tourist destination shall be maximized by
opening new super markets, and new shopping malls. The Singaporean government must take
mandatory steps to develop and improve the training programs in connection with tourism to the
workers related to transport.
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Global issues in tourism
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